The Field Day Fiasco

I remember being really excited for my first Field Day event. I had already gone to a few of the local Amateur Radio club meetings shortly after receiving my license, KF7OOL, and was all fired up for the event. Chuck, the club’s president invited me to come and help out. They had about 200 members, and many of them were going to be at Field Day this year, just as always. I was ecstatic!

Finally the big day had arrived. It was Field Day! I was so sleepy that Icould hardly get any rest the night before, but was ready to do the whole 24 hours just the same. I went and picked up Willy, one of the senior club members whose car was in the shop and needed a lift. No problem, I had room to spare, and he knew the way to the site, some 50 miles away.

I drove out to the annual Field Day site with great enthusiasm, so much so that I got two speeding tickets on the way there. It would have been three, but I didn’t want to be late, so I outran the last state trooper to get there. Not an easy feat in a small Toyota truck, but I managed… Willy kind of freaked out when I did that, and was unable to speak once we arrived at the site (thankfully he had a map to the site in his front shirt pocket or I would have never found the site!)

I got to the parking lot that the club had set up for Field Day, andquickly pulled behind a nice new yellow Corvette. My emergency brake neverhas worked right, but I figured that I could block up the tires of my truckwell enough to where nothing would happen. Looking back upon it, I guess Ishould not have parked on the little hill, as my truck did start to rollforward as soon as I got out of it, but that Corvette managed to stop thesudden forward motion of my truck, really fast! I was glad, as Willy wasstill in it. I wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to Willy.

I went over and asked some club members to help me get Willy out of myToyota. They were a little concerned with his condition upon seeing him,pale, sweating, hands shaking and all. This was really too bad, as Willywas one of the clubs best CW operators. He was unable to compete and had tobe taken home.

I guess that Willy wasn’t much for long drives.Ted, Willy’s younger brother, must have been in one too many Field Day events, as he pulled out of the operation after finding out that someone had carelessly run into his Corvette. It was some Toyota truck I was told. I guess my truck is a popular make. I wonder who could have been such a careless driver to this day… Quite the coincidence in vehicle makes if you ask me. I was dismayed at such a lack of dedication on Ted’s behalf however. After all, a car is a car is a car, and I was sure that Willywould recover nicely.